This invention relates to a low molecular weight liquid polymer having a saturated hydrocarbon backbone and terminal functionality.
Presently there are a great many commercially produced polymers available having a wide variety of properties dependent on variations in chemical structure. One type of polymer not presently available but very often desired is a low molecular weight liquid polymer having a saturated hydrocarbon backbone and terminal functionality. Such low molecular weight polymers would permit automated production with low power equipment as well as providing efficient crosslinking and chain building in view of their terminal functionality. Low molecular weight polymers without terminal functionality do not crosslink efficiently. The polymers of the instant invention are obtained by polymerizing a 1-alkene, containing at least one tertiary or phenyl substituted carbon in the presence of a transfer agent containing a benzylic or tertiary halogen and at least one other halogen which can be either a primary or secondary halogen.
The use of chain transfer is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,878 where a hindered unpolymerizable olefin replaces a labile halogen on a polymer backbone when the halopolymer and olefin are contacted in the presence of an organoaluminum compound. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,020 teaches the preparation of a relatively high molecular weight copolymer of isobutylene or isoprene with methallyl chloride using a Friedel-Crafts catalyst. None of the techniques previously known in the art are capable of producing a low molecular weight polymer having a saturated backbone as well as terminal functionality.